Aggressive and discriminatory comments posted on news websites and social media threaten social cohesion and pose challenges for a site‘s respective editorial staff. Based on 20 qualitative, guided interviews with community managers, this article is an early examination of the factors that influence moderation decisions and the moderation strategies which are used to address hate comments online. By referencing preexisting gatekeeping research, this study models the explanatory factors which, in turn, define the 'moderation factors' on the level of the individual, the norms and routines of the profession, the organization and society.